Automatic valve for mine-pumps.



W. F. MADDOX. AUTOMATIC VALVE PoR MINE PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1911.

1,016,573. Patented Feb.6,1912

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Snom/Lto@ W. F. MADDOX.

AUTOMATIC VALVE BOR MINE PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7, 1911.

Patented Feb.6,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wbt/mmm WILLIAM F. MADDOX, OF IiINTON, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR MINE-PUMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed August 7, 1911. Serial No. 642,682.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WinLiAM F. MADnox, citizen of the United States, residing at Linton, in the county of Greene and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valves for Mine-Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

In pumping water from mines, it is customary to lead from the pump to different portions of the mine, water conducting pipes The present invention therefore echtemplates the provision of the valve device to be associated with the intake end of each of the water conducting pipes of a mine pumping system, which will automatically close the said end of the pipe when there is no more water to be removed from that particular part of the mine into which the pipe is led.

Fora full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which ,Figure l is a perspective view`of one of the valve devices embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elcvat-ion and partly in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, parts being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the valve plates of the device.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

ln the drawing, the mechanism of the device is illustrated as mounted within au open sided casing including a bottom 1, a top 2, and corner posts 3 which support the top 2 above the bottom 1. A sheet of wire mesh material 4 is secured to the side edges of the top and bottom and extends around the posts 3 and while Water may flow or collect between the top and bottom of the easing, the wire mesh material prevents the entrance of dirt and stones which would be liable to render uncertain the operation of the device.

The numeral 5 indicates a water-chest. which is mounted upon the bottom 1 of the. casing and has formed in its bottom transversely extending slots 6 through which water may pass into the said chest. A short pipe 7 leads from the top of the chest 5 and has connected to it the intake end of the water conducting pipe 8 of the pumping apparatus. Immediately below the bottom of the water chest 5, the bottom 1 of the casing is open as indicated at 9 and the said bottom of the water-chest. is slightly spaced above the bottom of the casing as clearlyshown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A valve-plate 10 is disposed between the bottom l of the casing and the said bottom of the water-chest 5 and is formed with transverse slots 11 which are designed to register with the slots 6 in the bottom of the water-chest when the plate 10 has been shifted to a predetermined position, so as'to permit of the passage of water throughr the opening 9 into the water-chest- 5. v

A shaft 12 is journaled at its ends in suitable'bearing brackets 13 which are mounted upon the bottom 1 of the casing of the device and extends ytransversely in advance of the water-chest 5, and fixed upon this shaft, near each end, is an arm 14 extending both forwardly and rearwardly from the shaft. The forward ends of the arms 14 are pivoted as at 15 to opposite sides of a float 16 which is in this manner supported between them. The opposite-ends of the arms are weighted as at `17 to in some measure offset the weight of the float 16 so that the latter will respond more readily to the rise and fall of the water in which the valve device is placed. An arm 18is secured to the shaft 12 at a point preferably midway between its ends and is connected by a link 19 to an ear 20 which is formed at the forward edge of the valveplate 10. The plate 10 is held firmly against the under side of the bottom of the waterchest 5 by means of springs 21 which are secured at their upper ends to arms 22 projecting laterally in opposite directions from the connection between the water-chest and pipe 7, and at their lower ends to ears 23 projecting laterally from opposite edges of the plate 10.

In order that access may be had to the upon the float 16 of the device will rise,

thereby shifting the plate'lO to cause the slots 6 and 11 to register. When the pumping apparatus is placed in operation, water` will be drawn in through the slots, into the water-chest 5, and through the pipe 8. It is of course improbable that each of the valve devices will be submerged in the same volume of Water and consequently, the water will be removed from some part of the minebefore it will be exhausted from some other part. As the water level falls, the oat 16 will follow and the valve-plate 10 will be gradually closed so that when all of the waterhas been removed from that part of the mine in whichany one of the devices has been placed, air will not be drawn in through that particular water conducting pipe and in fact the pipe will be automatically plugged.

If desired, a foot-valve 25. may be ari ranged within the water-chest 5 to prevent siphonic action when one of the valve devices is located at a higher level than another. p

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is .1. In a device of the class described', a water-chest formed with openings in its bottom, a valve-plate sldably disposed against the-under side of the bottom of the water-chest and formed with openings arran ed to register with the openin s in the sai bottom of the water-chest, a plpe leading from the water-chest, and a oat having connection with the valve-plate and arranged to move the plate to position with the openings thereon out ofregister with the openings in the bottom of the waterchest, when lowered.

2. In a device of the class described, n water-chest having an opening in its bottom, a valve-plate slidably disposed against the bottom of the water-chest and having an opening arranged to register with the first mentioned opening, a pipe leading from the said chest, a shaft, a oat supported thereon and arranged to rock the shaft upon rise or fall, and connection between the shaft and the valve plate for moving the latter when theshaft is lowered.

3. In a device of the class described, a water-chest, the chest being formed with an opening in its bottom, a valve-plate disposed against the under side of sald waterchest and formedV with an opening arranged to register with the first mentioned openings, a spring connected tothe said waterchest and to the valve-plate and holding the valve-plate against the said bottom of the water-chest, and a float having operatix'e connection with the valve-plate.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. MADDOX. [La] Witnesses:

AUGUST F. KnoEFEL, E. A. POWELL. 

